


The sound of silence

by Yohao88



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 18:24:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5712508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yohao88/pseuds/Yohao88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their last year of high school, their last summer together, little adventures filling all the years they never spent in each other’s company. Everything looks perfect. Still, goodbyes are silently approaching day by day. And a simple walk at night will teach them that unspoken words could be surprisingly noisy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The sound of silence

Just one or two months before graduation. That’s when he started to notice it. It happened so gradually that it felt normal before it could seem unusual. They had never had time to be close friends, while attending different schools and such. They were just… friends, meeting once in a while, to hang out all together with their teams, to train, during inter-high competitions, during festivals… There were chances, but not  _SO_  many. It wasn’t as it was with Makoto. They lived close by. It was obvious they would spend so much more time together, in comparison. Or at least that was what he thought for a long time.

Then, one day during spring, he just found Rin on his doorstep, simply asking if he was feeling like having a walk for no reason in particular, as if taking a train in the middle of the week just to do that was the most normal thing in the word. That time, though at first he was really surprised, he just thought it  _was_  normal, after all. They simply never did it.

That ended up becoming the first of a long series of meetings. At first, Rin was the one to pay a visit to him, at times even to Makoto. Then it started happening the other way around too, sometimes without even giving each other any notice, some other times planning a meeting, be it the two of them, be it with Makoto or with any of their friends. It made no difference.

The fact remained that Rin became more than a regular in his life in an incredibly short time. If before he was hanging out mostly with Makoto, now it was the three of them together at least half of the times. And it was nice. So nice. He came to think that Rin simply tried to recover and rebuild their friendship, after that old four years long hiatus. And he definitely succeeded, even if there wasn’t any need to do such a thing. He was happy it happened. He really was happy. That was going to be their last summer together, then maybe the last fall, but no more than that.

Australia was waiting for Rin. He was a bit upset, but not as much as he was during grade school. That was the path Rin chose, that, by the way, was the same as his. Just… in a different country. It wasn’t bad at all.

The time spent with Rin during the end of their last year of high school brought a whole new collection of sights in his life. Endless swimming competitions, trips, training camps… Rin was dragging him around everywhere. Like that time when they went to the mountains and Sousuke got lost and they got lost while looking for him and they had to camp out for the night, being found by Sousuke and a really worried Makoto the morning after.

Or that time when they went to Sydney all together and, while taking Winnie out for a walk, they got chased by a bigger dog and his poor owner on his bike and they spent five minutes running only to find out the other dog just wanted to play. Their friends found them on a low wall in front of a happy barking dog and a man really committed to apology.

One day they had a fight for a stupid matter and refused to talk to each other for almost a week. They never _officially_ made peace: coach Sasabe organized another swimming event and, by the time they were put in the same relay team, the fight was over. Only after the race, Sousuke pointed out they were talking to each other again and so they didn’t talk anymore for the rest of the evening.

There were even sadder times, like the day Rin’s grandma passed away. Many of his and Gou’s friends stayed almost the whole day with the mourning family. He was no exception. During the ceremony, at some point, Rin took his hand and never let it go till the end. He just happened to find himself next to him that day, probably, but he had been glad to be the one giving him that little support. While observing his silent tears and his eyes firmly pointed at the pavement, he squeezed his hand, hoping that Rin was realizing how lucky he was to have so many people caring for him. Something told him he did.

Days were passing by and they were growing more and more attached to each other. Sometimes, he happened to wonder how their life could have been, if Rin never left for Australia when they were younger. It was silly, but he was curious. It was a pity they managed to get closer only when they had so little time left. Two years spent with him were just not enough. He wanted to stay with him longer. But he could never tell him such a stupid thing. Was Rin feeling the same way? He somehow hoped so.

He couldn't explain it exactly, but... being with Rin was… warm. Not warm like a soft blanket. That was more like Makoto. It was warm like… like a hot summer day, his favourite ones. The more time he spent with him, the more he began comparing Rin to a bright sun, with a lot of planets going around him. He definitely was one of those planets as well.

“Like that one.”

He pointed at a shining dot in the blue sky, bigger than the others, that was refusing to glitter. In a way or another, they found themselves discussing about stars and he couldn’t help but point out that the one Rin liked wasn’t a star at all.

Rin snorted, irritated by having lost that discussion. “I got it, I got it!” Then he scratched his head with one hand, putting the other one in a pocket. “Remind me why I’m the only one left and why we are talking about stars like idiots.”

“Because you like romantic stuff?”

“Shut up, jerk!”

Haru stuck out his tongue as Rin punched his arm, offended. Another win for him. He sighed, stretching his arms. “Anyway, we are the only ones left because we don’t have to work or attend exams tomorrow and we were talking about stars because you were bored and you started talking about them.”

“No way. You were the one.”

Haru’s sudden change of route distracted Rin from that conversation. He perplexedly watched him go down a steep path through the trees.

“Oi, where are you going?”

Haru stopped, turning back. “You said ‘let’s watch fireworks and then go home’, so I’m looking for a good spot.”

“Don’t make it sound like a date. It gives me the creeps.”

“You are the hopeless romantic, not me.”

“If you want to roll down this cliff, just say it. I will be glad to help you.”

Grumbling that, Rin followed his friend till he stopped near a little wall of stones lining a park, where he decided to sit.

“You had to make me walk till now just to sit in such a place?”

“So what? I don’t like crowded places.”

“It’s far from your home.”

“I don’t mind walking.”

“I have to walk even more than you!”

“Shut up, Rin-Rin.”

“Stop calling me like that!!”

Satisfied with Rin’s anger, Haru gave out a little smirk, before looking at the sea further away. He then watched the lights coming from the festival on their left. They actually walked quite a lot.

Turning, he saw Rin’s dangling legs. His friend was now laying down on the grass, with his arms behind the head, lazily looking at the sky. Haru began dangling his legs as well, staring at his own feet going back and forth, in silence. Suddenly, there was nothing else to talk about. He never liked staying in silence for too long while being with Rin. It was making him feel… uncomfortable. It was like being shut in a glass bell and there was always a weird atmosphere in that glass bell, as if... he was forced to feel things he didn't want to feel, as if time decided to stop just to let them be together. He always felt the need to break that glass bell at any cost.

He turned towards Rin again. He was still looking at the sky. His red hair were lightly moving in the evening breeze, caressing his face. He was so serene and relaxed that observing him was soothing. It was a nice view, after all, despite the silence. Actually, paying more attention to it, maybe silence wasn’t even that bad.

He got lost in such thoughts long enough to make Rin notice it. As soon as his friend looked at him, Haru swiftly moved his gaze away. Why was he even staring like an idiot? Ignoring the weird jump his heart did in his chest and his face warming up, he looked at the grass under his feet.

“So… are you ready for Australia?”

Finally a new topic, though probably not the best he could choose.

Hearing that, Rin blinked perplexed, then he sat up again. “I am, but I’ll be leaving in another four months, you know?”

“I know. I was just asking.”

“Ok.”

Silence again.

Haru couldn’t bring himself to look at him anymore for some reason. He knew that Rin caught him staring. That wasn't such a big deal, but he was feeling uneasy anyway. Not talking was even worse than before, now.

“The plane ticket?”

“I’ll buy it one of these days.”

“Place where to live?”

“Apartment. With one of my old friends from there.”

“And Lori and Russell?”

“I can’t count on them again! I’m not a kid anymore!”

This time, Haru turned, vaguely frowning.

Rin snorted, embarrassed. “Yeah, I’ll go pay a visit once in a while for sure! Are you happy, now?! Gosh, do you want me to leave that bad, now?! What’s with you?!”

“Shut up,” Haru grumbled, glancing away again.

He could feel Rin’s confused look on the back of his head. He really chose the wrong topic, after all.

Deeply sighing, he stared at the sea. “It’s going to be quiet, without you around.”

Rin’s eyebrows twitched. “O-oi… if you  _do_  want me to leave, I’ll leave you here right n-”

“And a bit lonely.”

“W-what?”

Immediately realizing what he said, Haru felt his face going on fire. He watched Rin just to see he was wearing the same flushed expression and he promptly looked the opposite way.

“I... I mean… swimming.”

“I-I know.” Muttering that, Rin turned as well, hiding his face behind his hand.

Some more seconds of really awkward silence followed. Really, what was with them, now?

Letting out a relieving sigh, Rin looked down, leaning his arms to his legs. “Joking apart… I will miss you too.”

“Uh?”

Haru turned, surprised, and Rin gave him a little smile.

“As you said, it’s not fun enough, if we don’t swim together.”

“W-whatever,” Haru mumbled, looking at the ground again.

“Oi, don’t _whatever_ what I just said.”

“I’m not _whatevering_ it.”

“And don’t make that become a verb.”

Haru avoided replying, trying to calm down. They never talked much about things like that. After all, it wasn’t something pleasant to talk about. They couldn’t postpone such a conversation forever, anyway.

“Be sure to phone, this time.”

“Uh?” Rin frowned, embarrassed, trying to look irritated. “Of course I’ll do it, idiot.”

“I’m reminding it to you, since you weren’t very good at it, some years ago.”

“Oi, stop with that! What the hell could make you think I won’t keep in contact with you, this time?!”

“It’s just to be sure, since you are an idiot!”

“Then don’t you dare quit competitive swimming while I’m not here!”

“Look who’s talking! Don’t come home crying because you can’t win!”

“As long as you keep swimming, such a chance doesn’t exist!!”

“Well, stay assured it’s the same for me!!”

They aggressively glared at each other for some seconds and it was funny, because both their faces were evidently really red. In the spur of the moment, they let out quite a lot of hidden truths and worries, that were lying somewhere inside them since who knows when.

“W-with this, I didn’t mean I cried,” Haru babbled.

“I know that,” was Rin’s equally uneasy reply.

Haru helplessly stared at his eyes. For some reason, he apparently wasn’t able to look away from him anymore, but even Rin wasn't moving a muscle. The silence was more irritating than ever. His face was burning, his heart was probably trying to jump out of his ears and judging by the way Rin was looking, it was the same for him. It was as if the world around them was slowly disappearing. That irritating glass bell was back already and worse than before, so much that his mind was suddenly blank. Or maybe it was just too full of thoughts. Hard to say, in such a situation.

He never knew who started it, but at some point distances began to shorten, they were closer and closer, their eyes still firmly locked on the other one. He wanted to swallow, but he couldn't send the right signal. It was as if he lost control of his body. At least, he wasn't completely sure he was doing what he was doing because he wanted to. Or was he wishing for it? His heart was beating so fast that a stroke wouldn’t have been so much of a surprise. What was going to happen, once the gap between them was closed?

He couldn’t find out.

The exact moment he was about to focus on Rin’s lips, a long whistle and then a loud explosion made the weird bubble they were closed in suddenly pop. Completely lost, they stared at each other, eyes and mouth open in surprise, for what it felt like an eternity. Then they rushed to look away, distancing from each other. Colorful explosions were now filling the sky, but their hearts were probably even louder and their eyes couldn’t even look up at those lights. They stayed still, looking at the ground, their back facing the other's, till the fireworks show ended.

Realizing that comfortable chaos was over, Haru recovered enough self control to be able to speak before Rin could say or do a thing.

“I… was just… You had something on your face.”

“I-I know. That’s why I got closer,” was Rin’s trembling reply.

“L-let’s go home.”

“Yeah.”

Without another word, they stood up and began walking towards Haru’s place. Silence was what accompanied them for all the way home and this time it felt safe, instead of uncomfortable. They both had their hands in their pockets and they weren’t walking as close and next to each other as they were an hour or so before.

When almost at Makoto’s place, Haru tried to observe Rin, but he wasn’t able to look at anything other than a sleeve of his light blue shirt. Since when did he start to wear such light colors? Not even a thought like that could distract him from what happened earlier, though. Reaching his doorstep had never been so painful, and not because they had to part ways. Rather, the opposite. Rin wasn’t feeling any better than him. The effort they put into raising their heads once in front of Haru’s house was inhuman.

“Goodnight,” Rin barely whispered.

Haru understood what he said just because it was obvious. In a normal situation, he would have told him he couldn’t hear a thing and maybe even fight right after, but their circumstances became anything but normal in just a few minutes. He wanted to say something, but what the heck could he say, after they basically almost kissed each other?! At that thought, his face possibly became even redder.

“G-goodnight,” he mumbled as well, not entirely sure he managed to produce something similar to a sound.

Rin was able to crack an almost invisible smile before turning back, starting to go down the stairs. Haru could just stare at him, paralyzed, flinching when he saw him stop and turn. It looked like Rin wanted to say or do something, while he was somehow wishing he would say or do whatever he wanted to do, but the result was that they stared at each other for a really stupid amount of time, before Rin could find the strength to at least wave at him, while he did the same once more. He really needed to get a grip of himself.

Opening the door, he was finally about to go inside his house, when he heard some quick steps behind him. Without even being able to understand what happened, he felt someone grabbing his shoulder to make him turn and he barely saw a glimpse of red hair, before receiving a fleeting and light kiss on his lips. Completely petrified by surprise, he just stared at the empty space Rin left in front of him after running away in a rush.

That night, when he went to bed, his face was still boiling despite a long, cold bath, his heart was still beating way too much and he was feeling an intense kind of… happiness or something like that, that had nothing to do with swimming, with water, or with mackerel. The day after, they incredibly managed to act as if nothing happened. They probably underwent a really heavy mind-training during the night, since it was clear none of them slept much, after all.  But they didn't speak a word about the previous night and things just ended up going on normally, as if that walk at the festival never took place.

Summer ended, autumn came, and Rin gradually became a bit more difficult to meet.

“I’m already missing having Rin around like this summer.”

“Shut up.”

Haru glared at Makoto, who just sighed while outing his thoughts, sat in his living room. A part of him was glad to find out he wasn’t the only one feeling that way, but he perfectly knew he couldn’t fool himself with such an excuse and he was even suspecting that Makoto perfectly knew how he was really feeling.

“But it’s true,” his friend continued. “Well, after all, he has a lot of stuff to take care of, before leaving.”

“He will leave in more than a month, Makoto, not tomorrow.”

“That’s why! Bureaucracy is frightening.”

Snorting at his friend’s comment, Haru poured some tea in their cups. It was true that he and all his friends were feeling Rin’s departure approaching like a shadow, but he couldn’t do anything except acting like all of them. He was still finding incredible how he and Rin were able to live exactly like before that fact despite…  _that fact_. But what else were they supposed to do? Rin was about to leave and, since they ignored everything, it probably meant that was just going to remain a…  _midsummer night’s dream_ , or something light that. It sounded like something Rin would say. It also sounded unfair. But that wasn’t going to bring them anything good. Saying goodbye to each other as good friends was everything they had to do.

Anyway, he had doubts about it every damn time he met with Rin. Why couldn’t he read his thoughts the same way he did with Makoto? But he was equally glad he couldn’t do that, after all.

“So it’s over?”

“Yeah, it’s over.”

“Phew! I feel better for you, Rin. Now you only have to think about your luggage.”

“Thanks to this, I just stopped feeling relieved. Really, thanks, Makoto.”

“Whops! Sorry.”

Rolling his eyes at his friends’ conversation, Haru put his foot on the last step leading to his house. He and Makoto accompanied Rin to another office to take the last document he needed to leave for Australia. Right now, he was mentally cursing Makoto because he invited Rin to have dinner at his place without asking him first, but at least he was coming too.

“Well, guys, I’ll go back home, now.”

“What?!”

Hearing what his best friend said, he couldn’t help but turn, bewildered, right after opening the door. Makoto was showing him one of his best smiles, that was currently burning his eyes. Rin being completely ok with that was probably even worse.

“He told you he was busy, before, Haru. You didn’t hear him?”

Haru stared at Rin’s innocent and really sincere expression. He was telling the truth. He was telling the truth, but for a second he almost felt like punching him for some reason. Snorting, he went inside his house, grumbling an irritated “Do what you want”. That wasn’t the first time he stayed alone with Rin after what happened, but that didn’t mean he ever felt comfortable. Anyway, there was nothing to do about it.

“Just so that you know, there’s mackerel for dinner.”

“You could avoid telling me what’s for dinner, by now.”

“Shut up and take out the plates.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

Snorting, Haru started cooking. He was really angry. Makoto definitely did that on purpose. He was going to pay for it. If he knew everything already, he might as well just openly talk about it, instead of finding excuses! But he was glad he didn’t. He probably would have tried to deny everything anyway.

“Stop making that pissed off face or I won’t stay for dinner.”

Startling, Haru noticed Rin was washing and drying a glass next to him. Pouting once more, he kept cutting vegetables.

“I’m not forcing you to stay here.”

“But now that I’m here, it’s too late to go home.”

“You just said you’d go away, idiot.”

As a reply, Rin stuck out his tongue, heading to the living room.

Haru deeply sighed. Being around him really was stressful. If “stressful” was the right definition. But admitting he was happy to be able to stay with him meant asking really too much to his poor pride. As soon as Rin untied his apron going away with a couple of glasses and a satisfied grin, anyway, he decided that “stressful” unquestionably was the right definition.

“What are you doing?”

And there Rin was again.

“Cooking,” he replied, annoyed.

“I can see that,” Rin said, with the same blunt tone. “Do I have to spell out my questions, now?”

“Grilled mackerel, white rice and miso soup. It’s cold, I’m tired and I wasn’t planning to have guests in the first place.”

“I got it, I got it! Gosh, you really are touchy!”

“I don’t want to hear that from you.”

“Oi! If you wanna fight, I’m ready when you are!”

Haru gave him another really bad look, but as soon as he did, his face went crimson for some reason. Why was he even blushing, now?!

Hoping Rin saw nothing, he kept cooking in silence. Rin not saying a word as well made him understand he definitely noticed.

The familiar, loud heartbeat he felt back then was back. Hoping Rin wasn’t feeling just as uneasy was… hopeless.

But was he?

Something suddenly clicked in his brain. What if what happened that night was just his imagination? Well, it happened for real, no doubts about it. But nobody ever told him that Rin did it because he was actually feeling  _that_  way. Maybe it was just… weird mood due to fireworks or something and since Rin liked romantic stuff… After all, he feigned ignorance just too well.

Filled with courage coming from those weird delusions, he raised his head enough to be able to look at Rin’s hands still leaning to the counter, next to him. That silence was vexing. Taking some soy sauce, he poured a bit into the pot and he quickly glanced at Rin’s face when he put it back. But noticing he was observing him caught him by surprise enough to be forced to raise his head again.

Rin’s expression was serious, confused and maybe a little conflicted. Whatever expression that was, he was pretty sure it was on his own face too, now. They locked eyes again, it was definitely bad, but he couldn’t look away at all. He even stopped stirring the soup without noticing, but now that he noticed, he wasn’t feeling like going on. He was inside that damn glass bell another time. And, again, he was thinking about how that was one of the last times he could freely stay with him. Why those unnecessary feelings, now? Why that unbearable urge to touch him, almost as if that was the only way to prevent him from disappearing?

He tried to say something, but his throat wasn't reacting. For a second, it seemed like Rin was about to speak too, but he probably surrendered halfway as well. By now, that weird incantation was way too strong to be broken and if that wasn’t enough, this time they were definitely conscious of what was going to happen, of what they _wanted_ to happen. It was a pity there wasn’t any firework to wake them up from this weird dream.

“Is… is there something on my face again?” Rin whispered, letting the counter go as he got closer.

Haru stared at his lips, trying to avoid thinking how much he was eager to reach them.

“Might be.”

He tried to focus on what touched him first, if Rin’s hand on his arm or his mouth on his own. Either way, being close to him had never been that pleasant before. He could feel his warm breath somewhere next to his nose. Kisses surely felt weird. But they felt good.

Their lips barely parting, their faces way to close to let them look at each other, they stopped for a moment, be it to understand if it was real, be it to remember how to breathe, because they both forgot how to do anything for a few seconds. But then they brushed their lips together again, almost fearing it couldn’t feel like the first time. In fact, it probably felt even better.

It was soft. Haru couldn’t help but think that, while leaning his forehead to Rin’s after that second kiss, grabbing his arms as if trying to be sure he was really there with him. What were they even doing? Asking himself such a thing was completely hypocrite: luckily, they perfectly knew what they were doing, or even why.

“I love you, Haru.”

At those words, Haru lost at least half of his strength. That idiot was being even more straightforward than his own thoughts in that moment. His cheeks were terribly burning, he was dying from embarrassment and at the same time he was completely at ease. Judging from the heat coming from Rin, his face was in the same conditions. He was supposed to give him some kind of reply, now, wasn’t he? Not able to bear such a situation anymore, he buried his face on his shoulder.

“Mh,” was everything he managed to say.

“What should ‘Mh’ even mean?” was Rin’s confused and vaguely disappointed reply.

How to blame him? That was really lame.

Gathering some guts, Haru felt his face going on fire even more. “S-same. I… think.”

“You… think?” This time, Rin gave out an exasperated sigh. “I’m feeling like an idiot enough, so could you at least be a bit clearer?”

“What?”

“I... can’t be the only one saying such a thing!!” Rin finally shouted, becoming even redder.

Haru squeezed him, still hidden in his shirt. “You are the one who likes romantic stuff.”

“Well, not now!”

“Then let go of me.”

“No way. I don’t wanna see your face, right now.”

“Same here.”

Quite a long silence followed those words. They were stuck in a weird situation and they weren’t sure they were worried about it.

“But… our dinner will burn,” Haru said, finally finding the strength to look at his kitchen again and suddenly remembering what he was doing some moments before.

“Turn off the heat, then,” Rin replied, hugging him a bit more tightly.

“Seriously?”

Silence again.

After a few seconds, Haru felt Rin’s shoulders shaking. He barely wondered if he was crying, when he heard him sincerely laugh. At first surprised, he sweetly smiled, stroking his back.

“You aren’t crying, right?” he asked, then, doubting again.

“The hell I am, idiot!”

“Ok.”

They weren’t even able to look at each other anymore. Maybe that was why Rin was laughing.

“Rin.”

“What?“

“Can I kiss you again?”

“I can’t believe  _you_  asked such a thing.”

Haru felt his cheeks warming up again, but he couldn’t care less. “I’d never ask such a thing, but you’ll be leaving in a month.”

“We can’t make up for the lost time in a month!”

“Lost time?”

“Uh?” Haru’s innocent question completely caught Rin off guard. “Uh… I mean… it's not like I was always waiting for a chance to... well… DAMN YOU!”

Terribly flushing, Rin grabbed a surprised Haru by the shoulders and he impulsively reached his mouth again. This time, after a second of confusion, the kiss rapidly became more intense. It was strange. Conveying feelings in such a way was strange. But it was easy. Talking wasn't needed. All they had to do was reach for each other's lips, once, twice, even an infinite number of times, if only they wanted to. Grasping for the love they longed for so long, they kissed one another, at first yearning for that touch, then slower, making it last, basking in its sweetness and resting in a tight hug when they silently agreed it was enough, for now. Only then, they found the strength to properly look at each other, despite their red faces. They both smiled, tenderly.

“A month will be more than enough, after all,” Rin sweetly whispered, leaning to Haru’s head again and closing his eyes.

Haru, instead, put on a pouty face. “Oi, if you don’t come back here once in while, I’ll come to Sydney and I’ll kick you.”

“DON’T START WITH THIS AGAIN!!”

“Shut up,” Haru grumbled, going back to his soup.

“You will be a terrible boyfriend!!!”

“I should say the same about you!!!”

“What?! If you wanna fight, I’m ready when you are!!!”

That singular evening ended with a too salty soup, some burnt mackerel and a romantic atmosphere level really close to zero, but the morning after, Haru got fetched by a sulky Rin in his jogging suit nonetheless.

“Morning,” was his quick, blunt and evidently embarrassed greeting.

Haru blinked, observing his red face. Then he closed the entry door and went out, rushing to the stairs because it was clear Rin had no clue about how to act after the previous day. No matter how much he wanted to kiss him or to be kissed by him again, he felt just as clueless and that was why acting normal was the best choice, at least for now.

“Be prepared,” he said, hopping down the steps.

“For what?” Rin asked, confused, following him.

“Makoto knows everything.”

“You told him already?!!”

“No, but he sent me a text asking if we were ok, this morning.”

“AND WHY SHOULD THAT MEAN-”

Rin suddenly stopped, noticing their friend coming out of his house. As soon as he saw his bright smile, his face violently turned crimson.

“Good morning, Rin!” Makoto quietly greeted him. “I’m glad to see you are getting along well again.”

“See? I told you,” Haru pacifically commented.

“ _I told you_ my ass!!” Rin hit him to make him start running. “How could he know, you dumbass?!!”

Makoto giggled. “Well, you two were pretty obvious, Rin.”

“WHAT?!” the red-head screamed, stopping incredulous and surrendering to the evidence. “HOW WAS I OBVIOUS?!!!”

“Stop complaining, Rin-Rin,” Haru calmly said.

Rin menacingly ran after him. “Remind me why the hell I’m in love with you!”

Hearing Makoto bursting out laughing behind them, Haru smiled content, rushing towards the beach in the early morning sun.

“I really have no clue!”

**Author's Note:**

> What to say? I hope you liked it! I personally think it's a bit better written than Reach For My Hand, but it's probably just because it's so short and I didn't explore Haru and Rin's feelings as much as I did in my main fanfiction! ahah! The approach on their circumstances is really different, but I like both the versions. Thanks a lot for reading!! :D


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